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Rumours picked up quickly after Justin Bieber’s return to Coachella, with speculation that his past catalogue sales shaped his setlist.
Bieber sold his music rights to Recognition Music Rights in 2022, but that deal does not prevent him from performing any of his songs live.
The performance his most high-profile in years, which received mixed reactions and featured a minimal, stripped-back setup with just a laptop and limited production.
He centred the show on tracks from his 2025 albums SWAG and SWAG II, while including short versions of earlier hits like “Baby,” “Never Say Never,” and “Beauty and a Beat.”
Online discussions linked his song choices to broader conversations about artiste ownership.
However, another conversation on social media came from persons who stated that the "Yukon" singer's set felt more like an Ode to the younger him, as the singer has seemingly been through a lot.
One moment that gained virality was when Bieber posted a video of himself singing Chris Breezy's "With You".
Some fans found it to be a powerful statement piece that Biebz kept it simple while performing with the version of him that started his career.
Earlier at the festival, Geese performed a cover of “Baby,” underscoring how live performance licensing allows songs to be freely performed.
Bieber also included a brief personal moment, acknowledging his wife, Hailey Bieber, and their son during the set.
Overall, the performance emphasized his newer material rather than indicating any restriction tied to past business deals.